By Kate Obodo

After three postponements, the Nigerian Premier League is expected to finally commence today with Kaduna United and Kano Pillars drawing the first blood in Kaduna.

The Premier League has gone through so much of late. First, it is kicking off without a major sponsor since Communication outfit Globacom  pulled out of the league.

Secondly, there are players, club officials and ex club officials who  as we speak are still being owed by some clubs and the NPL, despite initial threat that such clubs will not be allowed to feature in the new season, seem to have reneged on their words and have gone ahead to register such clubs.

The issue on the front burner  is that between Rangers International of Enugu and ex assistant coach Sylvanus Okpala. An arbitration court had ordered Rangers to pay the ex assistant his money and till date, Okpala still claims that he is still being owed. His boss, former Super Eagles coach and ex Rangers Technical Adviser Christian Chukwu, last week told Saturday Sports that Rangers are owing Okpala and should pay him.

With the Premier League kicking off today, Saturday Sports contacted NPL chairman Davidson Owumi on the Rangers vs Okpala saga and surprisingly, Owumi , former boss of the Coal City side, did not want to comment on the matter, neither  would he confirm nor deny if Rangers would be part of the teams campaigning in the Premier League this season. He directed our reporter to talk to the secretary of the NPL board, whose number he and other NPL guys were not willing to release.

As the country is putting frantic efforts towards rebranding, Owumi’s NPL is doing very little to jerk up the standard and image of the league. They cannot even keep their words. NPL Media  Head Emeka Nwani told our reporter that the Okpala issue is a Rangers issue and does not involve the NPL.

How is it possible that a matter that has been decided at the Arbitration court and orders given that Rangers should pay Okpala, with directives to NPL not to allow Rangers take part in the league until they do so, the NPL says it is a Rangers matter?

It is crystal clear that Owumi is facing some battles, first from Ranson Baribote and secondly from Ray Nnaji.The ex Rangers boss may find himself in another battle if he mishandles the Okpala/ Rangers saga.  Already Okpala is accusing him of being part of the cabal in Rangers that ensured that he was not paid.

“All they were saying are lies, both Emeka Nwani, Owumi and the rest. The rules are very clear that any club that owes should pay before the kick-off  date, it is not my decision it is the NPL’s decision the rules of NFA and FIFA and it has been applied all over the world.

“Owumi also benefited from it when Rangers sacked him. They are only playing pranks they do not want to follow the rules, because Owumi wants to favour Rangers since he is part and parcel of Rangers.

Even Nwani has told me they will pay since they have confirmed the arbitration letter. So why are they saying it is an in-house thing. If they want our football to progress in this country they have to abide by the rules but if we continue to cut corners, we will not progress.

When I went to meet them,  I asked them if they have registered Rangers and they said yes, then  I asked  why.

“Since they have decided to break the rules, my interest is that they should pay me my money. If the rule says they should pay before registering why are they breaking it. This goes to show the kind of NPL we are going to see this season.

I believe more problems are on ground, so they cannot say it is not their problem. NFA has written to Rangers asking them not to register Rangers, I was not the one that wrote them and have called the NPL, they told me they have written to them. And I was there when they were calling Rangers, asking them when they want to pay. They are just playing tricks.